Review: Splatoon 3 resumes Lula’s paintball war without the glitz as ever

Review: Splatoon 3 resumes Lula’s paintball war without the glitz as ever

Even the incredible monthly election event does not hide the network fatigue that mars the colossal gameplay.

Known for reworking traditional franchises, it’s surprising that one of the greatest successes Nintendo in recent years has been something completely original. Competitive online shooter – Platoon 3 this is the third act of renewal of the company. But by adding only minor improvements to the successful squid paintball formula, the title is showing troubling signs of stagnation.

DATA SHEET

Title: Platoon 3

Launch: September 9, 2022

Developer: Nintendo

Genre: shooter

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

modes: Online Casual, Online Ranked, Online Co-Op, Singleplayer

return of the squid

Draw everywhere as we like.

say that the gameplay platoon Surprisingly, it rains in wet weather. Few games manage to turn shooting and movement into something so pleasant and fluid. In the midst of frantic battles to dominate the battle, the squid stalking around the ink continues to feel comforting. But after two almost identical names, the formula is not impressive.

The main highlight is still Lawn Wars, where the goal is to paint over as much of the field as possible. A less direct combat offer helps to distinguish oneself from others. arrows, shooting games and encourages players to look for creative solutions to win. It’s addictive than it never stopped being, especially in the fast-paced three-minute format.

Two new weapon classes have also been introduced: bow and arrow and katana. In practice, both work as advanced styles for long-range and short-range players, respectively. They are fun to play but very difficult to master, and ultimately only work in the hands of the most experienced players who have played the franchise for many years. The new special abilities fall into the same dynamic – they’re so easy to dodge that they only work in veteran hands.

Special and new weapons only affect veterans.

To add some variety, especially for casual ones, Platoon 3 he still squanders the alternative ways he amassed from his predecessors. With the exception of Clam Blitzwhich remains as confusing and frustrating as ever, all of which continue to deliver blood-boiling, super-violent competition. rain maker, Tower control, Splat zones as well as salmon they encourage much more cohesive group work, strategic builds, and different mindsets, bringing a welcome break from the mainstream routine. However, none of these modes appeared in Platoon 3. In practice, there are no new modes in the game.

cat in a bag

More than seven years after surprising everyone in Nintendo Wii U, platoon continues to deliver exactly the same visuals with minimal gameplay changes. And while the new story mode is mesmerizing, repeating the vaunted model Splatoon 2not enough new content Platoon 3 to justify selling a new game.

As fun as the game is, the franchise is stuck in a market logic that no longer works. In a dynamic world where Fortnite as well as Genshin Impact vying for public attention with sustainable game-as-a-service models, expensive games offering a similar offering, such as observewere forced to rethink their strategy. However, platoon prefers to ignore its competition and resists putting forward a more relevant proposal in 2022.

More and more customization.

What has been raised are half-measures that do not completely solve the problem, but help convey a false idea of ​​evolution. A lot of money has been invested in additional customization options, such as adding player tags custom, decorative cabinets and winning positions. This increases the scope for the player to express themselves, satisfying the fans’ thirst for news without getting rid of the feeling of emptiness.

This is the same case Catalog which mimics the battle pass systems, but without the same polish. Instead of items carefully crafted to excite players, it’s just a series of random gifts at an unsatisfactory frequency. This could generate more interest in the game if it was more exciting, thematic, and had no deadline for completion. After all, the worst thing about this scheme is that the updates last only two years.

But you don’t even have to wait that long to feel like gamers Platoon 3 given to themselves. Since launch, there has been a constant connection error that has prevented many games from launching. This is when players don’t turn off on purpose during a match, upsetting everyone. Hopefully these issues will be resolved in future updates, but these technical difficulties in the first few weeks show some wear on the fragile structure. Nintendo Switch Online.

The most frightening message of the players.

octopus party

Of course, not everything is a disappointment. Throughout the experience, the minor inconveniences of previous versions were solved with very elegant ideas. Gear evolution is simpler, playing with friends is intuitive, and learning maps of the day no longer takes precious minutes of your gameplay. All in all, Platoon 3 brings out the best in a paintball fight. The base gaming experience is still pretty solid!

Just like leaps and bounds, the monthly festival splatfest still excites and gives a stylish mood world Cup. Glamorous elections, it’s just that the entire community stops defending its heartfelt topic in the most inappropriate topics. At the premiere, it was rock against paper and scissors. At the first party, things were even more abstract: will you bring snacks, equipment, or fun to a deserted island?

Splatfest is the party of the Nintendo People’s Democracy.

The whole atmosphere of the game changes to enhance this party, which is even more beautiful in a new central city that really feels alive. The colors of each team dominate the city and all problems are put aside. That is, until preliminary results appear.

To prevent festivals from falling into the same trap as Splatoon 2, the developers have been looking for ways to balance the controversy. In addition to adding a third participant to each event, a new form of combat has been created − Tricolor Battle – in which three teams collide at once. It’s amusingly chaotic, but such a rare occurrence ends up becoming an urban legend. What a pity in a game that is so hungry for news.

Tricolor battles are unpredictable and can be surprising or frustrating if they happen rarely.

In this regard, the campaign mode does not disappoint. Good entertainment for those who want to take a break from the fierce battles is a series of difficult stages that make the most of every available system. The level design is so elaborate that it can be compared to Super Mario games, and, surprisingly, the mythology is one of the richest in Nintendo. The plot responds to big fan theories about the franchise’s past and present, ending a cycle in the life of Splatoon.

Rating: 7.5/10

It remains to be hoped that when this cycle is completed, the next games in the franchise can dare to do more. Platoon 3, despite the fact that this is a great game, sins for laziness. This is completely a comfort zone that is not interested in modernization. The frantic ink battles remain exciting. The question is how long will it be long enough to sell new games.

This game is definitely worth it for two very specific audiences – complete newbies and veterans. hardcorein love with the universe or spent hundreds of hours in Platoon 2. If you’re a casual gamer who already owns another game in the franchise, there’s not enough news to justify investing in a new game.